A circuit for storing and latching defective address data representing an address of a defective portion occurring in a memory cell array of a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device having a redundant function. The circuit includes floating gate field effect transistors and latch circuits. Each floating gate field effect transistor assumes one of a high-threshold state and a low-threshold state, and has a threshold of 0 volts or less (e.g. 0 to -2.5 volts) when in the low-threshold state.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A circuit for storing and latching defective address data representing an address of a defective portion occurring in a memory cell array of a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device having a redundant function, comprising: floating gate field effect transistors for storing defective address data, each floating gate field effect transistor being electrically erasable and programmable and having a control gate, a drain, and a source; a word line connected to the control gates of the floating gate field effect transistors; bit lines connected to the drains of the floating gate field effect transistors; a source line connected to the sources of the floating gate field effect transistors; and latch means for latching the data stored in the floating gate field effect transistors, wherein each floating gate field effect transistor assumes one of a high-threshold state and a low-threshold state, and has a threshold of 0 volts or less when in the low-threshold state.
2. The circuit according to claim 1, wherein the threshold of the floating gate field effect transistor in the low-threshold state is less than 0 volts such that the threshold of each of said floating gate field effect transistors is verified by applying a negative voltage to the control gate thereof via the word line.
3. The circuit according to claim 1, wherein the threshold of the floating gate field effect transistor in the low-threshold state is from 0 volts to about -2.5 volts.
4. The circuit according to claim 3, wherein the threshold of each of said floating gate field effect transistors is verified by applying a reference voltage to the control gate thereof via the word line.
5. The circuit according to claim 1, wherein in operation, a reference voltage is applied to the control gates of floating gate field effect transistors which have been programmed with defective address data.
6. The circuit according to claim 5, wherein said reference voltage is a ground voltage.
7. The circuit according to claim 1, further comprising means executing a write operation or an erase operation to allow each of said floating gate field effect transistors to have the threshold of 0 volts or lower.
8. The circuit according to claim 7, wherein said means executing a write operation or an erase operation comprises a word line voltage generator and a source line voltage generator, wherein with the drains of the floating gate field effect transistors in a floating state, the word line voltage generator applies a negative voltage to the word line and the source line voltage generator applies a positive voltage to the source line such that electrons are withdrawn from a floating gate of each of the floating gate field effect transistors.
9. The circuit according to claim 1, wherein one floating gate field effect transistor serves to store one bit of the defective address data.
10. The circuit according to claim 9, wherein said latch means comprises a plurality of latch circuits each connected to one corresponding floating gate field effect transistor via the bit line.
11. The circuit according to claim 1, wherein said floating gate field effect transistors comprise a plurality of pairs of floating gate field effect transistors, and wherein one pair of floating gate field effect transistors serves to store one bit of the defective address data.
12. The circuit according to claim 11, wherein said latch means comprises a plurality of latch circuits each connected to one corresponding pair of floating gate field effect transistors via the bit lines.
13. A circuit for storing and latching defective address data representing an address of a defective portion occurring in a memory cell array of a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device having a redundant function, comprising: floating gate field effect transistors for storing defective address data, each floating gate field effect transistor being electrically erasable and programmable and having a control gate, a drain, and a source; a word line connected to the control gates of the floating gate field effect transistors; bit lines connected to the drains of the floating gate field effect transistors; a source line connected to the sources of the floating gate field effect transistors; N-MOS transistors provided on the bit lines; and latch means connected to the floating gate field effect transistors via the bit lines and the N-MOS transistors for latching the data stored in the floating gate field effect transistors, wherein each floating gate field effect transistor assumes one of a high-threshold state and a low-threshold state, and has a threshold equal to or lower than a threshold of the N-MOS transistors when in the low-threshold state.
14. The circuit according to claim 13, wherein the threshold of the floating gate field effect transistor in the low-threshold state is about 0.7 volts or less.
15. The circuit according to claim 13, wherein the threshold of each of said floating gate field effect transistors is verified by applying a voltage equivalent to the threshold of the N-MOS transistor to the control gate thereof via the word line.
16. The circuit according to claim 13, further comprising means executing a write operation or an erase operation to allow each of said floating gate field effect transistors to have the threshold that is equal to or lower than the threshold of the N-MOS transistors.
17. The circuit according to claim 16, wherein said means executing a write operation or an erase operation comprises a word line voltage generator and a source line voltage generator, wherein with the drains of the floating gate field effect transistors in a floating state, the word line voltage generator applies a negative voltage to the word line and the source word line voltage generator applies a positive voltage to the source line such that electrons are withdrawn from a floating gate of each of the floating gate field effect transistors.
18. The circuit according to claim 13, wherein in operation, a supply voltage is applied to the control gates of floating gate field effect transistors which have been programmed with defective address data.
19. The circuit according to claim 18, wherein said supply voltage is about 1.8 volts.
20. The circuit according to claim 13, wherein one floating gate field effect transistor serves to store one bit of the defective address data.
21. The circuit according to claim 20, wherein said latch means comprises a plurality of latch circuits each connected to one corresponding floating gate field effect transistor via the bit line and the N-MOS transistor.
22. The circuit according to claim 13, wherein said floating gate field effect transistors comprise a plurality of pairs of floating gate field effect transistors, and wherein one pair of floating gate field effect transistors serves to store one bit of the defective address data.
23. The circuit according to claim 22, wherein said latch means comprises a plurality of latch circuits each connected to one corresponding pair of floating gate field effect transistors via the bit line and the N-MOS transistor.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
December 26, 2000
December 18, 2001
Browse 5M+ US patents with plain-English claim translations and AI-generated analysis.